Sanjiv Ahuja
Top 10 Mobile Industry Execs to Watch in 2011
Here are our picks for the people to watch in mobile in 2011 -- folks that may not be your radar now, but definitely should be (in alphabetical order):
1. Sanjiv Ahuja, chairman and CEO, LightSquared This
Long Term Evolution (LTE) startup operator has the potential to shake up the US mobile broadband scene with its wholesale, hybrid terrestrial/satellite model. Ahuja is no stranger to the C-level -- as a former CEO of
France Telecom SA (NYSE:
FTE)'s Orange mobile operation from 2004 to 2007 -- but can he deliver the promise of LighSquared? (See
Harbinger Hatches LTE Challenger in US,
LightSquared Lands $850M for LTE Build , and
LightSquared Names LTE Suppliers.)
2. Tony Bates, CEO, Skype Ltd. Why? Well, the first LTE networks are live now and none of them can deliver voice services. Until operators resolve how to deliver voice over LTE (VoLTE), there is an opportunity for over-the-top voice providers like Bates's Skype to step in and fill that service gap. So will they, or can they, do it next year? (See
LTE Voice Lag Leaves Operators Vulnerable ,
Operators Rally Round IMS for LTE Voice,
Voice Over LTE & the 'IMS Gap', and
MetroPCS Plots LTE Smartphones, VoLTE Trials.)
3. Bill Huang, general manager, China Mobile Communications Corp. 's Research InstituteHuang is the public face of
Long Term Evolution Time Division Duplex (LTE TDD), which is the version of LTE championed by China Mobile. Next year is critical for LTE TDD as China Mobile expands its user trials and the mobile broadband technology is expected to take root in India. So what Huang says will be an important indication of the technology's maturation. (See
Teeing Up LTE TDD and
China Mobile Opens Up on LTE TDD Trials .)
4. Alexander Izosimov, group CEO, VimpelCom Ltd. (NYSE: VIP)Izosimov is leading the charge to create a new emerging market mobile operator powerhouse through a $6.5 billion deal to merge VimpelCom with Weather Investments, which owns
Orascom Telecom and
Wind Telecomunicazioni SpA . (See
Telenor Opposes VimpelCom Acquisition and
VimpelCom Gets Wind.)
5. Manoj Kohli, CEO (International) and joint managing director, Bharti Airtel Ltd. (Mumbai: BHARTIARTL)This is the exec tasked with taking Bharti Airtel's success in India and repeating it across Africa. As the world's fifth-largest mobile operator since it acquired
Zain Group 's mobile operations in Africa for $10.7 billion, 2011 will be a big year as Kohli embarks on Bharti's African ambitions. (See
Bharti Secures $10.7B African Acquisition,
Bharti Shows Off New Physique,
Airtel Rebrands Across Africa,
Bharti's African Adventure, and
Top 10 Movers & Shakers.)
6. IIja Laurs, CEO and founder, GetJar Networks Inc. The mobile app market is hot, and Laurs founded and still leads the largest independent app store that is second only to
Apple Inc. (Nasdaq:
AAPL)'s App Store. His moves in 2011 will be exciting as he navigates his company through the intense market for mobile apps. (See
AT&T Adds GetJar for App Attack and
Pyramid: Mobile Apps on the Upswing.)
7. Paul Palmieri, CEO, Millennial MediaPalmieri's mobile advertising firm has
reportedly caught the eye of
Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) (Nasdaq:
RIMM; Toronto: RIM), which wants its own mobile ad network. So, Palmieri has dealmaker potential in 2011. (See
RIM Wants Ads, Apple Doesn't,
Apple: Ads Get the i Treatment, and
Google Buys AdMob for $750M.)
8. Bhaskar Roy, co-founder and senior VP of product, Qik Inc. Roy is one of the founders of mobile video chat specialist Qik and remains at the heart of the company's strategy and product development. So with competitors like ooVoo and fring emerging, how can Roy keep up the
momentum for the company's mobile video app? We'll watch to find out! (See
Top 10 Apps LTE Will Super-Charge,
Leading Lights: Mobile Services/Apps Finalists, and
Qik Touts Video Chat Explosion on Sprint's EVO.)
9. Rajeev Suri, CEO, Nokia Siemens Networks In 2011, Suri's management skills will be tested as he contends with the integration of the
Motorola Inc. (NYSE:
MOT) wireless infrastructure business as well as reportedly dealing with a new ownership structure with the addition of private equity investors. How he executes the Motorola acquisition will affect to what extent the company can boost its position in the North American market, which it so longs to do. (See
Might NSN Choke on Its Moto Morsel?,
NSN to Buy Moto's Wireless Biz for $1.2B ,
Rumor: NSN Stake Sale Near,
NSN CEO: Don't Write Our Obituary, and
NSN Revamps SPIT Unit.)
10. Juan VillalongaYes,
that Villalonga: the former
Telefónica SA (NYSE:
TEF) CEO who left the Spanish giant in the summer of 2000 amid
allegations of insider trading and an investigation into his stock dealings by the Spanish securities and exchange commission. Now he's back and this time has a role as chairman of Switzerland-based mobile infrastructure software company
Sunbay. What will he get into next?
— Michelle Donegan, European Editor,
Light Reading Mobile
